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{{short description|National cricket team of South Africa}}
{{about|the men's team|the women's team|South Africa women's national cricket team}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}} 
{{EngvarB|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox cricket team
| name                  = South Africa
| image                 = [[Image:Southafrica cricket logo.svg|180px]]
| alt                   = Refer to caption
| caption               = South Africa Cricket's coat of arms
| website               = https://cricket.co.za/
| nickname              = Proteas
| association           = [[Cricket South Africa]]
| test_captain          = [[Temba Bavuma]]
| od_captain            = Temba Bavuma
| t20i_captain          = [[Aiden Markram]]
| coach                 = [[Shukri Conrad]] (Test)<br/> [[Rob Walter ]](ODI & T20)
| icc_status            = Full member
| icc_member_year       = 1909
| icc_region            = [[Africa Cricket Association]]

| test_rank             = 4th
|odi_rank               = 3rd  
| odi_rank_best         = 1st <small>(1 May 1996)</small><!-- Date when team reached its all time best ranking for the first time -->
| t20i_rank             = 5th 
| test_rank_best        = 1st <small>(1 January 1969)</small><!-- Date when team reached its all time best ranking for the first time -->
| t20i_rank_best        = 1st <small>(8 August 2012)</small><!-- Date when team reached its all time best ranking for the first time -->

| first_test            = v {{cr|ENG}} at [[St George's Park Cricket Ground|St George's Park]], [[Port Elizabeth]], 12–13 March 1889
| most_recent_test      = v {{cr|BAN}} at [[Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium]], [[Chittagong]]; 29–31 October 2024
| num_tests             = 468
| num_tests_this_year   = 7
| test_record           = 181/161<br>(126 draws)
| test_record_this_year = 3/3 (1 draw)

| wtc_apps              = 2
| wtc_first             = [[2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship|2021]]
| wtc_best              =  Third place ([[2021–2023 ICC World Test Championship|2023]])

| first_odi             = v {{cr|IND}} at [[Eden Gardens]], [[Kolkata]]; 10 November 1991
| most_recent_odi       = v {{cr|IRE}} at [[Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium]], [[Abu Dhabi]]; 7 October 2024
| num_odis              = 678
| num_odis_this_year    = 6
| odi_record            = 413/238<br>(6 ties, 21 no results)
|odi_record_this_year   = 3/3<br>(0 ties, 0 no results)
 
| wc_apps               = 8
| wc_first              = [[1992 Cricket World Cup|1992]]
| wc_best               = Semi-Finals ([[1992 Cricket World Cup|1992]], [[1999 Cricket World Cup|1999]], [[2007 Cricket World Cup|2007]], [[2015 Cricket World Cup|2015]], [[2023 Cricket World Cup|2023]])
| first_t20i            = v {{cr|NZL}} at [[Wanderers Stadium]], [[Johannesburg]]; 21 October 2005
| most_recent_t20i      = v {{cr|IRE}} at [[Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium]], [[Abu Dhabi]]; 29 September 2024
| num_t20is             = 190
| num_t20is_this_year   = 17
| t20i_record           = 105/81<br>(1 ties, 3 no results)
| t20i_record_this_year = 9/8<br>(0 ties, 0 no results)

| wt20_apps             = 9
| wt20_first            = [[2007 ICC World Twenty20|2007]]
| wt20_best             = [[File:Simple silver cup.svg|16px]] Runners-up ([[2024 ICC World Twenty20|2024]])

| title1                = [[Hong Kong Cricket Sixes|Hong Kong Sixes]]
| title1wins            = 5

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| asofdate              = 31 October 2024
}}

The '''South Africa men's national cricket team''', also known as '''the Proteas''', represents [[South Africa]] in men's [[international cricket]] and is administered by [[Cricket South Africa]] (CSA). South Africa is a full member of the [[International Cricket Council]] (ICC). Its nickname derives from South Africa's [[Floral emblem|national flower]], ''[[Protea cynaroides]]'', commonly known as the "King Protea".

South Africa entered [[First-class cricket|first-class]] and international cricket at the same time when they hosted an [[England cricket team]] in the 1888–89 season. Initially, the team was no match for [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] or [[England cricket team|England]] but, having gained experience and expertise, they were able to field a competitive team by the first decade of the 20th century. The team regularly played against Australia, England and [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]] through to the 1960s, by which time there was considerable opposition to the country's [[apartheid]] policy. The ICC imposed an international ban on the team, commensurate with actions taken by other global sporting bodies. When the ban was imposed, South Africa had developed to a point where its team was arguably the best in the world, and even out-played Australia.

The ban remained in place until 1991, after which South Africa played against [[India national cricket team|India]], [[Pakistan national cricket team|Pakistan]], [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]] and the [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]] for the first time. The team has been strong since its reinstatement, and has at several times held the number-one positions in international rankings. South Africa is also one of the most successful teams in ODI cricket, winning more than 61 per cent of their matches.<ref name="results_summ">{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283878.html |title=Records; One-Day Internationals; ESPN Cricinfo |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224020144/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/283878.html |archive-date=24 February 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the [[1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy|1998 Champions Trophy]] is its sole success in ICC-organised tournaments. South Africa won the gold medal at the [[Commonwealth Games]] in [[Cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1998]].<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/77653.html ''The Commonwealth Games Experience'' by Shaun Pollock] ESPN Cricinfo</ref>

As of June 2024, the team is currently ranked 3rd in ODIs, 5th in T20Is and 4th in Tests.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=ICC overview of Player Rankings International Cricket Council|url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/mens/overview|access-date=28 January 2021|website=[[International Cricket Council]]|language=en}}</ref>

==History==
===Beginnings and early developments===
{{main|History of cricket in South Africa to 1918}}
European colonisation of southern Africa began on Tuesday, 6 April 1652 when the [[Dutch East India Company]] established a settlement called the [[Cape Colony]] on [[Table Bay]], near present-day [[Cape Town]], and continued to expand into the hinterland through the 17th and 18th centuries. It was founded as a victualling station for the Dutch East Indies trade route but soon acquired an importance of its own due to its good farmland and mineral wealth. There was virtually no British interest in South Africa until 1795 when troops under General Sir [[James Henry Craig]] seized Cape Colony during the [[French Revolutionary War]], the Netherlands having been occupied by French forces the same year. After the British seized Cape Colony a second time in 1806 to counteract French interests in the region in the course of the [[Napoleonic Wars]], Cape Colony was turned into a permanent British settlement. As in most other parts of the world, British colonisation brought in its wake the introduction of the game of [[cricket]], which began to develop rapidly. The first-ever recorded cricket match in South Africa took place in 1808, in Cape Town between two service teams for a prize of one thousand rix-dollars.<ref name="auto">[http://bleacherreport.com/articles/79768-history-of-south-african-sport-vi-cricket History of South African sport – Cricket] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909122025/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/79768-history-of-south-african-sport-vi-cricket |date=9 September 2017 }} BleacherReport. 9 November 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2017.</ref>

The oldest cricket club in South Africa is the Port Elizabeth Cricket Club, founded in 1843. In 1862, an annual fixture "Mother Country v Colonial Born" was staged for the first time in Cape Town. By the late 1840s, the game had spread from its early roots in Cape Colony and permeated the [[Afrikaners]] in the territories of [[Orange Free State]] and [[South African Republic|Transvaal]], who were descendants of the original Dutch settlers and were not considered naturally a cricket-playing people. In 1876, Port Elizabeth presented the "Champion Bat" for competition between South African towns. The first tournament was staged in [[Port Elizabeth]]. King William's Town Cricket Club won the tournament in 1876 and the following year, in 1877, too.<ref name="auto"/>

In 1888, [[Donald Currie|Sir Donald Currie]] sponsored the first [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1888–89|English team]] to tour South Africa. It was managed by [[Robert Warton (umpire)|Major R. G. Warton]] and captained by future Hollywood actor [[C. Aubrey Smith]]. The tour marked the advent, retrospectively, of both [[first-class cricket|first-class]] and [[Test cricket]] in South Africa. Currie donated the [[Sunfoil Series|Currie Cup]] (originally called the Kimberley Cup) that became the trophy, first won by [[Gauteng cricket team|Transvaal]] in 1889–90, for a national championship of the provincial teams in South Africa.<ref name="auto"/>

===Early Test history===
In 1889, South Africa became the third test-playing nation when it played against England at Port Elizabeth <ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/62426.html South Africa's debut Test match 1889 scorecard] ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 June 2017.</ref> captained by [[Owen Dunell|Owen Robert Dunell]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Coverdrive: Owen Dunell, South Africa's first skipper|url=http://coverdrive.co.za/2017/08/23/owen-dunnell-south-africas-first-skipper/|access-date=31 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401075109/http://coverdrive.co.za/2017/08/23/owen-dunnell-south-africas-first-skipper/|archive-date=1 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Soon after, a 2nd test was played at Cape Town. However, these two matches, as was the case with all early matches involving the erstwhile 'South African XI' against all touring teams, did not receive the status of official 'Test' matches until South Africa formed the [[International Cricket Council|Imperial Cricket Conference]] with England and Australia in 1906. Neither did the touring English team organised by Major Warton even claim to be representing the [[England national cricket team|English cricket team]]; the matches were marketed as 'Major Warton's XI' v/s 'South African XI' instead. Even the players who participated did not know that they had played international cricket, and the side that played South Africa was regarded to be of weak county strength. The team was captained by [[C. Aubrey Smith]], a decent medium pacer from [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]], and for two of the Major Warton's XI, [[Basil Grieve]] and [[Charles Coventry (British Army officer)|The Honourable Charles Coventry]], the two Tests constituted their entire first-class career. Even so, the nascent, fledgling 'South African XI' was very weak, losing both tests comfortably to England, English spinner [[Johnny Briggs (cricketer)|Johnny Briggs]] claiming 15–28 in the second Test at Cape Town.<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/436989.html The ignorant internationals] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170515095405/http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/436989.html |date=15 May 2017 }} Martin Williamson, ESPNcricinfo. 28 November 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2011.</ref> However, [[Albert Rose-Innes]] did make history by becoming the first South African bowler to take a five-wicket haul in Tests at Port Elizabeth.

South Africa's early Test record remains the worst among all current Test-playing nations with ten defeats and just a solitary draw from their first eleven tests,<ref name="auto1">[http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/south-africa-beat-england-in-a-thriller-to-achieve-their-maiden-test-win-86197 South Africa beat England in a thriller to achieve their maiden Test win] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520053733/http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/south-africa-beat-england-in-a-thriller-to-achieve-their-maiden-test-win-86197 |date=20 May 2018 }} Cricket Country. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2017.</ref> and it was not until 1904 that they began to emerge as a quality international team. They recorded their first Test win against England in 1906, which took them 17 years. The low point of this barren early period for the South African team was an [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1895–96|English tour of 1895–96]], where South Africa was humiliated 3–0 in 3 Tests by an English side for the first time remotely comparable to a full-strength team, losing all the tests by 288 runs,<ref>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4478.html England vs South Africa 1st Test 1895–96 Scorecard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902230143/http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4478.html |date=2 September 2017 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 17 June 2016.</ref> an innings and 197 runs,<ref>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4485.html England vs South Africa 2nd Test 1895–96 Scorecard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520125720/https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4485.html |date=20 May 2018 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 17 June 2017.</ref> and by an innings and 32 runs<ref>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4488.html England vs South Africa 3rd Test 1895–96 Scorecard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520054456/https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/4/4488.html |date=20 May 2018 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 17 June 2017</ref> respectively. The touring English team, arranged by [[Martin Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke|Lord Hawke]], included four of the best cricketers of the world at the time: [[Tom Hayward]], [[C.B. Fry]], [[George Lohmann]] and [[Sammy Woods]].

===Emergence as a quality international team===
[[File: Jimmy Sinclair c1905.jpg|left|thumb|[[Jimmy Sinclair]], who holds the record for the highest [[strike rate]] in the history of [[Test cricket]]]]
In the early 1900s, the first world-class South African cricket team emerged, comprising stars such [[Bonnor Middleton]], [[Jimmy Sinclair]], [[Charlie Llewellyn]], [[Dave Nourse]], [[Louis Tancred]], [[Aubrey Faulkner]], [[Reggie Schwarz]], [[Percy Sherwell]], [[Tip Snooke]], [[Bert Vogler]], and [[Gordon White (cricketer)|Gordon White]], players who were capable of giving any international teams a run for their money. In addition to possessing batsmen such as Sinclair (the batsman with the highest [[strike rate]] in Test history), Nourse, Tancred, all-rounder Faulkner, Sherwell, Snooker, and White, the South Africans developed the world's first (and arguably greatest) spin attack which specialised in [[googly]]. Greatest among the South African googly quartet was Schwarz, who, inspired by English googly bowler [[Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)|Bernard Bosanquet]], regarded as the inventor of the googly, developed into the most devastating googly bowler of his time. He taught diligently the secrets of the googly to allrounder Faulkner, medium-pacer Vogler, and specialist batsman White, and together the four formed a quartet which began to lead South Africa to unprecedented heights in Test cricket.<ref name="auto1"/> Another important force during this period for South Africa was the all-around performances of Faulkner and Llewellyn. Faulkner came to be regarded as the first great South African all-rounders in the international game, regarded by some as even the greatest all-rounder in the world in the pre-1st World War period.<ref>[http://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/aubrey-faulkner-the-first-of-the-great-south-african-all-rounders-76039 Aubrey Faulkner: The first of the great South African all-rounders] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909035413/https://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/aubrey-faulkner-the-first-of-the-great-south-african-all-rounders-76039 |date=9 September 2018 }} Cricket Country. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2017.</ref>

[[File: Aubrey Faulkner c1920.jpg|left|thumb|[[Aubrey Faulkner]], regarded as the first great South African all-rounder in [[international cricket]]. In a legendary 25-match [[Test cricket|Test]] career spanning from 1906 to 1924, he scored 1754 runs at 40.79 and claimed 82 wickets at 26.58]]
[[File: Reggie Schwarz c1905.jpg|right|thumb|[[Reggie Schwarz]], the pioneer of the [[googly]] and the 'googly revolution' in South Africa and one of the world's first great googly bowlers]]

The [[Australia national cricket team|Australian cricket team]] [[Australian cricket team in South Africa in 1902–03|toured]] South Africa in 1902, with an extremely strong squad comprising many prominent members of 'The Golden Age of Australian Cricket' such as [[Victor Trumper]], [[Joe Darling]], [[Clem Hill]], [[Syd Gregory]], [[Monty Noble]], [[Reggie Duff]], [[Warwick Armstrong]], [[Hugh Trumble]], and [[Ernie Jones (Australian sportsman)|Ernie Jones]]. Though South Africa lost the 3-match Test series 2–0, they avoided defeat for the first time by drawing the first game at Johannesburg, even forcing the touring side to follow on thanks to some outstanding all-round performances from Llewellyn.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 1904, South Africa was invited by the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] for a [[South African cricket team in England in 1904|tour of England]] to play a series of first-class matches, the team not being regarded as sufficiently high standard to play-official Tests. The side won ten out of their twenty-two matches, including a thrilling [[Result (cricket)#Tie|tie]] with [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]], who finished among the top four in that year's [[County Championship]], due to some magic weaved by Schwarz through his googlies. He repeated his heroics against an all-England XI, whom South Africa recorded an upset victory against by 189 runs. Unfortunately, the match was not accorded official Test status.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 1906, England made a reciprocal [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1905–06|tour]] to South Africa, which this time consisted of a 5-match official Test series. The touring English team was a second-string team, with only [[Colin Blythe]], [[Schofield Haigh]] and [[Jack Crawford (cricketer)|JN Crawford]] being those who could be considered regulars of the England team. Nevertheless, South Africa was still not favouriting going into the series. However, in a shocking result at [[Johannesburg]], the inspired South Africans, led by Sherwell and their googly quartet, defeated England by 1 wicket, thereby recording her first Test win. Schwarz, Vogler, and Faulkner led the way for South Africa.<ref name="auto1"/> Afterwards, South Africa defeated England by 9 wickets in the 2nd Test at Johannesburg, a 243-run win in the 3rd test at the same venue as well as an innings-and-16 runs victory at Cape Town in the 5th Test to secure a 4–1 domination of England. Schwarz picked up 18 in the series at 17.22, Faulkner 14 at 19.42. However, Vogler was not so successful with 9 wickets at 22.33.<ref name="auto1"/> The series is widely recognised as the one which heralded the arrival of South Africa as a major force on the international cricket scene. The MCC duly complied by inviting the South African team to [[South African cricket team in England in 1907|tour]] England in 1907 for the first time to play-official Tests. Though the series finished 1–0 to England with two draws, the quartet of Schwarz, Faulkner, Vogler, and White were praised for their exceptional quality of googly bowling,<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Green |editor-first=Benny |title=Wisden Anthology 1900–1940 |publisher=[[Queen Anne Press]] |location=London |year=1980 |isbn=0-362-00513-3 |chapter=South African bowling, 1907 |last=Foster |first=R. E. |author-link=R. E. Foster |pages=44–47}}</ref> and Schwarz and Vogler came to be recognised as [[Wisden Cricketers of the Year|'' Wisden'' Cricketers of the Year]] the following year – the first South Africans to win the prestigious [[award]].

England's next [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1909–10|tour]] of South Africa came about in 1909–10. Once again, South Africa was dominant, winning the 5-match Test series 3–2, with victories in the first Test at Johannesburg by 19 runs,<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8050.html South Africa vs England 1st Test Scorecard 1909–10] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913234328/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8050.html |date=13 September 2017 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2017</ref> second Test at [[Durban]] by 95 runs,<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8057.html South Africa vs England 2nd Test Scorecard 1909–10] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912203441/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8057.html |date=12 September 2017 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2017</ref> and by 4 wickets in the 4th Test at Cape Town.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8075.html South Africa vs England 4th Test Scorecard 1909–10] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912202925/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/8/8075.html |date=12 September 2017 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2017</ref> South Africa's captain was [[Tip Snooke]].

The South African cricket team [[South African cricket team in Australia in 1910–11|toured]] Australia for the first time in 1910–11. The Australian team was then considered as the leading cricket team of the era, in what has been described as 'The Golden Age of Australian Cricket'. Led by the legendary [[Clem Hill]] and the batting exploits of [[Victor Trumper]], Australia won the 5-match Test series comfortably 4–1, though South Africa made history by recording their first-ever overseas Test victory, as well as a maiden Test victory against Australia at the 3rd Test in [[Adelaide Oval]].<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/62508.html Australia vs South Africa 3rd Test Scorecard 1910–11] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114030504/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/current/match/62508.html |date=14 January 2017 }} ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 June 2017.</ref> The tour was significant for the rise of [[Billy Zulch]] as a leading batsman of the South African cricket team; and after a resolute 150 in the 1st Test at [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] in a heavy innings defeat for South Africa,<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/48109.html Players: Billy Zulch] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170707055221/http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/48109.html |date=7 July 2017 }} ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 June 2017</ref> he scored South Africa's highest individual score of 105 in their maiden overseas Test win at Adelaide, a match also characterised by the all-round performances [[Charlie Llewellyn]] and the outstanding bowling of [[Reggie Schwarz]].

South Africa's next international cricketing involvement was a [[1912 Triangular Tournament|triangular tournament]] held in England, involving England, Australia, and South Africa, the only three Test-playing nations of the era. By this time, the googly duo of Schwarz and White were past their prime, while Vogler had already retired. Additionally, retirements of key players such as Sherwell ensured that South Africa was nowhere near their best in the series. South Africa finished bottom with just one draw, but the series was notable for the debut of [[Herbie Taylor]], regarded as one of the finest batsmen of the era. The tournament marked the international swansong for Schwarz and White. The tournament also marked the peak of the short, but moderately successful test career of medium-pacer [[Sid Pegler]], whose rise, coinciding as it did with the decline of Schwarz and Vogler, briefly caused him to hold the mantle of the lead bowler of the South African bowling attack before as well as to emerge as South Africa's leading bowler and a resounding success in the Triangular tournament, before commitments elsewhere in the form of the appointment as a colonial district commissioner in [[Nyasaland]] forced him to drift out of cricket – meaning that the enormous potential that he showed in that Triangular, as well as the expectations that he could be a mainstay in the South African bowling in the coming years, were not quite fulfilled.

[[File: Herbie Taylor 1924-04-29.jpg|thumb|[[Herbie Taylor]], whose career spanned 20 years and 42 Tests, was the first South African to reach the landmark of 2,500 Test [[Run (cricket)|runs]] at an average of 40.77. He was the mainstay of the South African batting as well as one of the leading batsmen in the world from his debut in 1912 until his retirement in 1932. He was an expert on the matting pitches that were prevalent in South Africa at the time and scored six of his seven centuries at home. His batting was also noted for quick footwork and exceptional 'back play'.]]

Prodigious batsman Herbie Taylor was named captain of the South African team to face off against [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1913–14|the visiting English team]] in 1913–14, in what would prove South Africa's last international cricketing involvement before the First World War. Overall, the series was extremely poor for a South African side in transition, who failed to replicate the achievements of the South African sides 1905–06 and 1909–10, losing the 5-match Test series 4–0 against an extremely strong English side playing under the banner of the MCC. However, the series became memorable for Herbie Taylor's exceptional batting, who heralded his arrival as a new colossus in the world game, scoring a phenomenal 508 runs at an [[Batting average (cricket)|average]] of 50.80 against a terrific [[Sydney Barnes]] at his prime, who had claimed a record 49 wickets during the series [[Bowling average|at]] just 10.93. The cricket historian [[Harry Altham|H.S. Altham]] wrote: "The English cricketers were unanimous that finer batting than his against Barnes at his best they never hoped to see." [[Neville Cardus]] noted it was "perhaps the most skillful of all Test performances by a batsman." It also led Cardus to count Taylor as "one of the six greatest batsmen of the post-Grace period".

===The inter-war years===
{{main|History of cricket in South Africa from 1918–19 to 1945}}
The war brought in its wake the temporary suspension of international cricket. [[Sunfoil Series|The Currie Cup]], which had hitherto not been held during the years of [[Second Boer War|The Boer War]] (1899–1902) and on the years when England had visited as a touring team, faced cancellation during the years of war (1914–18). Cricketing activity in South Africa resumed to normal with the armistice in November 1918.

Post World War I, South Africa first hosted in 1919–20 an Australian Imperial Forces side boasting cricketers of the calibre of [[Jack Gregory (cricketer)|Jack Gregory]], [[Herbie Collins]], [[Bert Oldfield]], and [[Nip Pellew]]. The South African XI lost both of their matches against them.

Australia became the first international team to make an official tour to South Africa in 1921–22. The first two tests at Durban and Johannesburg were drawn,<ref>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10325.html 1st Test South Africa vs Australia 1921–22 Scorecard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520053915/https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10325.html |date=20 May 2018 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10326.html 2nd Test South Africa vs Australia 1921–22 Scorecard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520054731/https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10326.html |date=20 May 2018 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2017</ref> with Australia sealing the series 1–0 with a 10-wicket win in the 3rd Test at Cape Town.<ref>[http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10331.html 3rd Test South Africa vs Australia 1921–22 Scorecard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520124201/https://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Scorecards/10/10331.html |date=20 May 2018 }} CricketArchive. Retrieved 18 June 2017</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://content.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/series/60303.html |title=Australia in South Africa Test Series, 1921/22 – Matches |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130120014308/http://content.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/series/60303.html |archive-date=20 January 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Herbie Taylor, who captained the South Africans, finished with 200 runs at 33.33. [[Claude Carter]] was the South Africans' leading bowler, taking 15 wickets at 21.93.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/2/Australia_in_South_Africa_1921-22/t_South_Africa_Bowling.html| title = Test bowling for South Africa 1921–22| website = CricketArchive| access-date = 4 February 2017| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170204170121/http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Events/2/Australia_in_South_Africa_1921-22/t_South_Africa_Bowling.html| archive-date = 4 February 2017| url-status = live}}</ref>

[[File: Bruce Mitchell cricketer 1935.jpg|left|thumb|[[Bruce Mitchell (cricketer)|Bruce Mitchell]], who scored 3,471 Test runs, at that time a national record]]
[[File: Dudley Nourse.jpg|right|thumb|[[Dudley Nourse]], who scored 2960 Test runs in 34 Tests at 53.81 and had 9 centuries to his credit, at the time a national record]]
The following season, in 1922–23, an English cricket team [[English cricket team in South Africa in 1922–23|toured]]. Just like nine years, previous Taylor was at his best. In the first Test at Johannesburg, he batted at number three and in the second innings scored a superb 176, the next highest score in the match was 50.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://content.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/62534.html |title=South Africa v England, 1922/23, First Test, Scorecard |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Taylor's knock included 25 boundaries and was the largest by a South African against England.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;opposition=1;team=3;template=results;type=batting;view=innings |title=Statsguru – Test matches – Highest innings for South Africa against England |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> South Africa won the Test by 168 runs, it was Taylor's first victory as captain and as a Test player.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/player/47535.html?class=1;template=results;type=allround;view=results |title=Statsguru – HW Taylor – Test matches – Match results |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He followed that in the second Test with scores of 9 and 68 as England narrowly won by one wicket.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://content.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/62535.html |title=South Africa v England, 1922/23, Second Test, Scorecard |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> In the third Test at Durban he was moved back up to open the innings, he scored 91 and shared 110 with [[Bob Catterall]]. The third day's play was washed out leaving the draw inevitable in a four-day match.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://content.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/62536.html |title=South Africa v England, 1922/23, Third Test, Scorecard |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> The fourth Test was also drawn, Taylor scored 11 at number four and then moved back as the opener in the second innings made 101. ''Wisden'' wrote: "Taylor, who hit out freely when fear of defeat had gone, played a masterly game, but he had a little luck".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://content.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151696.html |title=England v South Africa, 1922–23, Fourth Test – Match Report |access-date=21 May 2009 |year=1924 |work=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack – online archive |publisher=John Wisden & Co. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011063826/http://content.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151696.html |archive-date=11 October 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> With the series still level at 1–1, the fifth and final Test was made [[Timeless Test|Timeless]] to ensure a winner of the series. England's [[C. A. G. Russell]] scored two centuries in the match and South Africa were set a target fourth innings target of 344. Taylor, at number four, batted for four and a half hours over an innings of 102 however he received little support from his teammates and South Africa lost by 109 runs.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://content.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/match/62538.html |title=South Africa v England, 1922/23, Fifth Test, Scorecard |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> Taylor finished the series with 582 runs at 64.66 and was the highest scorer on either side, his total was 278 more than the next South African.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=45;type=series |title=England in South Africa Test Series, 1922/23 – Most runs |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> His series total was at the time a Test record for a captain, later surpassed by [[Don Bradman]] in 1936.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/stats/index.html?captain=1;class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=runs;template=results;type=batting;view=series |title=Statsguru – Test matches – Most runs in a series by captain |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> His three centuries in the series set a South African Test record which was only bettered in 2003/04 by [[Jacques Kallis]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://stats.cricinfo.com/statsguru/engine/stats/index.html?class=1;filter=advanced;orderby=start;qualmin1=3;qualval1=hundreds;team=3;template=results;type=batting;view=series |title=Statsguru – Test matches – Three or more hundreds in a series by a South African |access-date=21 May 2009 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> The ''Wisden'' report of the series recorded that "H. W. Taylor as a batsman was in a class by himself".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://content.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155202.html |title=England M. C. C. team in South Africa 1922–23 – Series Report |access-date=21 May 2009 |year=1924 |work=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack – online archive |publisher=John Wisden & Co. |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714013940/http://content.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155202.html |archive-date=14 July 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The series cemented Taylor's position as a leading batsman in the world.

With Faulkner retiring in 1924, the South Africans, who had only two quality players in Taylor and Cattrell, underwent somewhat of a barren period in the 1920s. However, the emergence of a new generation of South African cricketers, more so in their batting than in their bowling, in the 1930s such as [[Bruce Mitchell (cricketer)|Bruce Mitchell]], [[Xen Balaskas]], [[Ken Viljoen]], [[Dudley Nourse]], [[Eric Rowan]], [[Alan Melville]], [[Pieter van der Bijl]], and [[Ronnie Grieveson]] once again ensured that South Africa became a top-quality international team. The team's leading batsmen during this era were Mitchell, Nourse, Rowan, Melville, and van der Bijl. Nourse, in particular, became famous for his hand-eye coordination and his excellent fielding, one of many to be produced by South Africa in the coming decades; natural skills which were according to legend inspired and developed by his father Dave's refusal to coach him as a youngster, demanding that he learned the rudiments of the game on his own, as he himself had. This South African team was also distinct from past South African teams in one respect: whereas the previous teams had been composed entirely of British-origin players, this team had Afrikaners like van der Bijl and Greeks such as Balaskas, regarded by wide consensus to be the greatest [[Greeks|Greek]] cricketer ever.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Stern |editor-first=John |title=My Favourite Cricketer |publisher=[[A & C Black]] |location=London |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4081-2340-9 |chapter=Graeme Pollock |last=Kuper |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Kuper |pages=118–121}}</ref>

===The post-war years===
{{main|History of cricket in South Africa from 1945–46 to 1970}}
The South African cricket team toured England in 1947. At [[Trent Bridge]], Captain [[Alan Melville]] and [[captain (cricket)|vice-captain]], [[Dudley Nourse]] achieved a Test match record for a third wicket partnership of 319. The following year Nourse, 38-year-old captain of [[Natal Province|Natal]], was appointed Captain for the 1948 MCC Test matches in South Africa.<ref name=Times1948>[[The Times]], 27 October 1948, ''Cricket South Africa's Captain''</ref>

They continued to play regularly  against [[England cricket team|England]], [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] and [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]] until 1970.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/team/series_results.html?class=1;id=3;type=team |title=Records / South Africa / Test matches / Series results |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=17 November 2011}}</ref> The membership rules of the [[International Cricket Council|Imperial Cricket Conference]] (ICC) meant that when South Africa left the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] in May 1961, they also left the ICC. Despite the rules being changed in 1964 to allow other nations to be "Associate" members, South Africa did not reapply.<ref name="icchistory">{{cite web |url=http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/the-icc/about_the_organisation/history.php |title=History of the International Cricket Council |publisher=[[International Cricket Council]] |access-date=17 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706011331/http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/the-icc/about_the_organisation/history.php |archive-date=6 July 2009  }}</ref> Due to South African [[apartheid laws]], which introduced legal [[racial segregation]] to the country in 1948, no non-white (defined under the legislation as either "black", "coloured" or "Indian") player was eligible to play Test cricket for South Africa.<ref>{{citation |title=International Boycott of Apartheid Sport |last1=Minty |first1=Abdul |publisher=United Nations Unit on Apartheid |date=April 1971 }}</ref>

===The international ban===
{{main|History of cricket in South Africa from 1970–71 to 1990}}
The [[Anti-Apartheid Movement|anti-apartheid movement]] led the ICC to impose a moratorium on tours in 1970.<ref>{{cite book |last=Booth |first=Douglas |author-link=Doug Booth |title=The Race Game: Sport and Politics in South Africa |publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=1998 |isbn=0-7146-4799-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/racegamesportpol0000boot/page/99 99] |url=https://archive.org/details/racegamesportpol0000boot/page/99 }}</ref> This decision excluded players such as [[Graeme Pollock]], [[Barry Richards]] and [[Mike Procter]] from international Test cricket for most of their careers. It would also cause the emigration of future stars such as [[Allan Lamb]] and [[Robin Smith (cricketer)|Robin Smith]], who both played for England, and [[Kepler Wessels]], who initially played for Australia before returning to South Africa. World class cricketers of their day such as [[Clive Rice]] and [[Vintcent van der Bijl]] also never played Test Cricket despite their strong first class records.

===A rainbow nation===
{{main|History of cricket in South Africa from 1990–91 to 2000}}
The [[International Cricket Council|ICC]] reinstated South Africa as a Test nation in 1991, and the team played its first [[:wikt: sanction|sanction]]ed international match since 1970 (and its first-ever One-Day International) against [[India national cricket team|India]] in [[Calcutta]] on 10 November 1991 losing by 3 wickets. South Africa's first Test match after re-admission was played against the [[West Indies Cricket Team|West Indies]] in April 1992. The match was played in [[Bridgetown, Barbados]] and South Africa lost by 52 runs.

Since South Africa has been reinstated they have achieved mixed success and hosted the [[International Cricket Council]] [[Cricket World Cup]] in 2003. However, it is widely believed<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/10128812/Champions-Trophy-2013-England-underachievers-v-South-Africa-chokers-battle-to-lose-tags.html|title=Champions Trophy 2013: England (underachievers) v South Africa (chokers) battle to lose tags|first=Derek|last=Pringle|date=18 June 2013|access-date=8 September 2018|work=The Daily Telegraph|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909000217/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/10128812/Champions-Trophy-2013-England-underachievers-v-South-Africa-chokers-battle-to-lose-tags.html|archive-date=9 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> the sides containing the likes of [[Allan Donald]], [[Shaun Pollock]], [[Gary Kirsten]], [[Jacques Kallis]] and [[Hansie Cronje]] grossly underachieved, gaining a reputation as "[[Choke (sports)|chokers]]", due to them reaching the semi-finals of the [[Cricket World Cup]] four times, but failing to progress into the finals. In the second part of the 1990s, South Africa had the highest winning percentage in ODIs of any team, but they were knocked out of the 1996 World Cup in the [[quarter-finals]], and then were eliminated on countback after tying their [[semi-final]] against Australia in 1999.

Their most noted international win was their win in the inaugural [[1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy|Champions Trophy]] in 1998. The team also won Commonwealth Games Gold medal in [[Cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1998]].

===21st century Proteas===
{{main|History of cricket in South Africa from 2000–01}}
[[File: South African Cricket team 2008.jpg|thumb|left|400px|The South African team at [[The Oval]] in August 2008]]
In the 2003 World Cup, South Africa was one of the favourites but was eliminated by only one run in the group stages after they had mistakenly counted the number of runs they needed. They have also had bad press for failing in vital matches in global tournaments including the [[2002 ICC Champions Trophy]] and the [[2007 ICC World Twenty20]].<ref>[http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/twenty20wc/content/current/story/311892.html South Africa choke on their lines again Hugh Chevallier in Durban] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010001218/http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/twenty20wc/content/current/story/311892.html |date=10 October 2007 }} 20 September 2007 Cricinfo</ref>

With [[Allan Donald|Donald]] retiring, Cronje banned for [[match-fixing]] and later [[Hansie Cronje#Death|killed in a plane crash]], and Pollock also retiring from international cricket, the team once again changed shape. [[Graeme Smith]] was made captain, although following injuries to Smith and [[Jacques Kallis]], [[Ashwell Prince]] deputised as Test captain on 12 July 2006. At the age of 29, he became the first [[Person of color|non-white]] man to captain the once all-white South African cricket team. Although that [[racial quota]] policy, was rescinded in 2007,<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/7082466.stm South Africa Remove Racial Quotas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109071213/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/front_page/7082466.stm |date=9 November 2007 }} 7 November 2007 BBC Sport</ref> a new rule passed in 2016 stated that the team had to have an average minimum of six Black players, of which two must be Black African, in matches over the season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-cricket-safrica-quotas/south-africa-announce-racial-quotas-for-national-team-idUKKCN1190M8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128023919/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-cricket-safrica-quotas/south-africa-announce-racial-quotas-for-national-team-idUKKCN1190M8|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 November 2018|title=South Africa announce racial quotas for national team|newspaper=Reuters|date=3 September 2016|access-date=8 September 2018}}</ref>

With the addition of high-class players such as AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, the South African Cricket team started rising in the ICC rankings. After many of the major players in the [[Australia national cricket team|Australian]] side that had dominated the early 2000s had retired, the number one place in the [[ICC Test Championship]] was a wide-open race, with [[India national cricket team|India]] and [[England national cricket team|England]] having short stints as the number one side. [[South Africa cricket team in England in 2012|South Africa toured England in 2012]] for a three-Test series with the winner assured of being the world No. 1. South Africa went on to take the series comfortably 2–0 and claim the top spot in the rankings, a position they retained for over a full calendar year from 20 August 2012.<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/rankings/content/current/page/211271.html ICC Rankings] 17 October 2013 ESPN Cricinfo</ref> Eight days later, on 28 August 2012, South Africa became the first team to top the rankings in all [[Cricket#Types of matches|three formats of the game]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-south-africa-2012/content/story/579730.html |title=Amla ton leads SA to third No. 1 spot |last=McGlashan |first=Andrew |date=28 August 2012 |work=[[ESPNcricinfo]] |access-date=25 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004034225/http://www.espncricinfo.com/england-v-south-africa-2012/content/story/579730.html |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In February 2014 South Africa took on Australia in a Test series, with the winner being ranked No. 1 team in the world.  Australia won the series 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-australia-2013-14/engine/series/648635.html|title=Results {{!}} South Africa v Australia {{!}} ESPN Cricinfo|work=ESPNcricinfo|access-date=20 March 2016}}</ref> South Africa later in the year would regain the No. 1 ranking.  As of 4 May 2020, South Africa is ranked 6th in Test Cricket.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.icc-cricket.com/team-rankings/test|title=ICC Test match Team Rankings International Cricket Council|website=icc-cricket.com|access-date=19 May 2020}}</ref>

During this time of dominance in the Test arena, the ODI and T20I performances were far less consistent, as South Africa search for a winning formula ahead of the [[2014 ICC World Twenty20]] and the [[2015 ICC Cricket World Cup]]. A notable ODI series loss to [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]] at home in January 2013, and a further loss in [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]] highlighted South Africa's recent difficulties. Exits from the [[2012 ICC World Twenty20]] and the [[2013 ICC Champions Trophy]] only served to improve South Africa's reputation as 'chokers' in major tournaments. In the latter years of Smith's career, South Africa split the captaincy in the shorter forms of the game, with the ODI side being led by [[AB de Villiers]] and the T20I side by [[Faf du Plessis]]. After Smith's retirement, [[Hashim Amla]] was appointed captain of the test side, leading his side to victory in his first test in charge, in [[Galle]] in Sri Lanka.

==Tournaments==

South Africa has a record of failing to win world cups and is much-maligned because of this. The [[1992 Cricket World Cup]], for example, featured a rain-affected semi-final played before the introduction of the [[Duckworth-Lewis]] rain rule. South Africa needed 22 runs from 13 balls when rain intervened. After the delay, they were left in the situation of requiring 22 runs from one ball to progress. In 1996 they were eliminated in the quarter-finals despite being one of the fancied teams and having qualified first in their group. In 1999 South Africa lost in the semi-final to eventual champions Australia. The match ended in a tie with both South Africa and Australia managing 213 but [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] advanced to the Final as Australia finished higher than South Africa in the group.

South Africa hosted the [[2003 Cricket World Cup]] but failed to progress beyond the group stage due to a misunderstanding of how many runs they needed to score in a rain-affected run chase. As a result of this, [[Shaun Pollock]] resigned as captain and was replaced by young batsman [[Graeme Smith]], although Pollock continued to play for the team. Under Smith's leadership, South Africa has achieved some success, although they have been hampered by the retirements of many star players, including fast bowler [[Allan Donald]] and one-day specialist [[Jonty Rhodes]]. As a result, they had a poor 2004, only winning against the [[West Indies cricket team|Windies]].

In the [[2007 Cricket World Cup]] they had a rollercoaster ride that included dominant wins over [[England national cricket team|England]], the West Indies, [[Ireland national cricket team|Ireland]], [[Netherlands national cricket team|Netherlands]] and [[Scotland national cricket team|Scotland]], and a narrow win over [[Sri Lanka national cricket team|Sri Lanka]], but devastating losses to Australia, [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]] and Bangladesh that cost them the No. 1 ranking. Then they bowed out in the semi-finals with their lowest ever score in a World Cup as Australia bowled them out for 149 and won by 7 wickets.

In the [[2011 Cricket World Cup|2011 World Cup]], South Africa topped Group B with the distinction of bowling out every side they played within the 50 over the limit, which also included a famous victory over hosts India. In the quarter-final, they were beaten by New Zealand after suffering a dramatic collapse and losing eight wickets for 64 runs.

Even after many setbacks, their biggest heartbreak was awaiting them in the [[2015 Cricket World Cup|2015 World cup]] semi-final where they lost to the tournament runners-up New Zealand in a rain-affected tie. Batting first South Africa posted 281–5 and set a revised target of 298 to New Zealand, thanks to an amazing batting performance by [[Faf du Plessis]], [[David Miller (South African cricketer)|David Miller]] and captain [[AB de Villiers]]. Chasing a mammoth target of 298 New Zealand got off to a flier inspired by their captain [[Brendon McCullum]]. But the real hero of the match was [[Grant Elliott]], who scored 84* including a second-last ball six off the then world's best bowler [[Dale Steyn]]. This saw South Africa crash out of the 2015 World Cup despite playing some fantastic cricket throughout the entire tournament. After a good world cup, South Africa went on to dominate ODI cricket in bilateral series which saw the Proteas rise to No. 1 in the [[ICC ODI Championship]].

At the [[2019 Cricket World Cup]] South Africa lost the opening match of the tournament to England and followed this up with losses to Bangladesh and India. Rained out against West Indies, they defeated Afghanistan but then lost to New Zealand and Pakistan, to end their chances of qualifying for the next stage.

They also hold the record of the highest successful run chase and made the highest total (the latter record has been surpassed) in One-Day Internationals (438–9 in 49.5 overs), in [[Australia in South Africa, 5th ODI, 2006|an iconic match]] against [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]] on 12 March 2006. This game is considered by many to be the greatest One-Day International ever played.

South Africa beat the Netherlands by 231 runs in [[Mohali]] in Group matches in [[ICC World Cup 2011]], The 231-run win is the fourth-largest margin of victory for any team in World Cups and the largest for South Africa in World Cups. It is also the second-largest margin of victory for South Africa in ODIs on 3 March 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Netherlands vs South Africa, ICC World Cup 2011|url=http://iccworld-cup2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/south-africa-vs-netherlands-mohali-3rd.html|date=March 2011|publisher=iccworld-cup2011.blogspot.com|access-date=3 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708042825/http://iccworld-cup2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/south-africa-vs-netherlands-mohali-3rd.html|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>
The 87-run stand between [[JP Duminy]] and [[Colin Ingram (cricketer)|Colin Ingram]] is the highest for the sixth wicket for South Africa in World Cups. The highest sixth-wicket stand for South Africa in ODIs is the 137 between Hansie Cronje and Shaun Pollock against [[Zimbabwe national cricket team|Zimbabwe]] in 1997. The triumph is South Africa's seventh by a fringe of hundred or more runs in World Cups.<ref>{{cite web|title=South Africa vs Ireland, ICC World Cup 2011|url=http://iccworld-cup2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/south-africa-vs-ireland-kolkata-15th.html|date=March 2011|publisher=iccworld-cup2011.blogspot.com|access-date=16 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708043155/http://iccworld-cup2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/south-africa-vs-ireland-kolkata-15th.html|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the [[2023 Cricket World Cup]] South Africa reached the semi-final but lost its match against Australia who went on to win the final.

In the [[2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup]], South Africa reached the final unbeaten, with a resounding 9 wicket win over Afghanistan in a one-sided demolition. This was the first appearance in an ICC final for the Proteas. Ultimately, they lost to India in the final by 7 runs.

==Records==
===Test matches===
{{Main|List of South Africa Test cricket records}}

===One-Day Internationals===
{{Main|List of South Africa One Day International cricket records}}

===T20 Internationals===
{{Main|List of South Africa Twenty20 International cricket records}}

==International grounds==
{{location map+|South Africa|float=center|width=390|caption=Locations of all stadiums which have hosted an international cricket match within South Africa|places=
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Boland Bank Park|Boland Park]]</small>|position=right|lat=-33.741281|long=18.998247}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Buffalo Park]]</small>|position=left|lat=-33.006706|long=27.919367}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[City Oval]]</small>|position=top|lat=-29.610325|long=30.380825}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[De Beers Diamond Oval|Diamond Oval]]</small>|position=left|lat =-28.742431|long=24.797722}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Ellis Park Stadium|Ellis]]</small>|position=bottom|lat =-25.999999|long=28.060833}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Kingsmead Cricket Ground|Kingsmead]]/[[Lord's No. 1 Ground|Lord's 1]]</small>|position=bottom|lat =-29.850058|long=31.027814}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Mangaung Oval|Mangaung]]</small>|position=left|lat =-29.116678|long=26.205269}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Moses Mabhida Stadium|MMS]]</small>|position=right|lat =-29.829|long=31.0303}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Newlands Cricket Ground|Newlands]]</small>|position=left|lat =-33.970556|long=18.468333}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Old Wanderers|Old]]/[[The Wanderers Stadium|Wanderers]]</small>|position=left|lat =-26.19772|long=28.040659}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Senwes Park]]</small>|position=bottom|lat =-26.695658|long=27.100772}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[St George's Park (cricket ground)|St. George's Park]]</small>|position=left|lat =-33.966486|long=25.609997}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[SuperSport Park|SuperSport]]</small>|position=top|lat =-25.859722|long=28.195278}}
{{location map~|South Africa|label=<small>[[Willowmoore Park|Willowmoore]]</small>|position=right|lat =-26.195228|long=28.317972}}
}}

==Tournament history==
=== ICC World Test Championship ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
| colspan="19" | [[ICC World Test Championship|ICC World Test Championship record]]
|-
! width="245" rowspan="3" | Year
! colspan="10" | League stage
! width="250" ! rowspan="3" | Final Host
! width="450" rowspan="3" | Final
! width="75" rowspan="3" | Final Position
|-
! width="20" rowspan="2" | {{abbr|Pos|Position}} !! colspan="5" | Matches !! width="20" rowspan="2" | {{abbr|Ded|Deductions}} !! width="20" rowspan="2" | {{abbr|PC|Points Contested}} !! width="20" rowspan="2" | {{abbr|Pts|Points}} !! width="20" rowspan="2" | {{abbr|PCT|Fraction of Points Won out of Points Contested}}
|-
! width="20" | {{abbr|P|Played}} !! width="20" | {{abbr|W|Won}} !! width="20" | {{abbr|L|Lost}} !! width="20" | {{abbr|D|Drawn}} !! width="20" | {{abbr|T|Tied}}
|-
| [[2019-21 ICC World Test Championship|2019–21]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-world-test-championship-2019-2021-1195334/points-table-standings|title=ICC World Test Championship 2019–2021 Table|access-date=29 August 2021|work=ESPN Cricinfo}}</ref> || 5/9 || 13 || 5 || 8 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 600 || 264 || '''44''' || {{Flagicon|ENG}} [[Rose Bowl (cricket ground)|Rose Bowl]], England || DNQ || 5th
|- style="background:#c96";
| [[2021-23 ICC World Test Championship|2021–23]]
|3/9
|15
|8
|6
|1
|0
|0
|180
|100
|55.6
|{{Flagicon|ENG}} [[The Oval]], England
|DNQ
|3rd
|}

=== Cricket World Cup ===

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
! I round
! II round
! Semi-finals
! Final
! SA Coach 
! SA Captain
|-
! colspan="9" | [[1992 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|1928|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|England|name=ENG}} || || [[Mike Procter]] || [[Kepler Wessels]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[1996 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|West Indies|name=WI}}   ||  || || [[Bob Woolmer]] || [[Hansie Cronje]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[1999 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|Australia|name=AUS}} || || [[Bob Woolmer]] || [[Hansie Cronje]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2003 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || || [[Eric Simons]] || [[Shaun Pollock]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2007 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|Australia|name=AUS}} || || [[Mickey Arthur]] || [[Graeme Smith]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2011 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|New Zealand|name=NZ}} ||  ||  || [[Corrie van Zyl]] || [[Graeme Smith]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2015 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|New Zealand|name=NZ}} ||  || [[Russell Domingo]] || [[AB de Villiers]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2019 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| colspan="2"  bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  || || [[Ottis Gibson]] || [[Faf du Plessis]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2023 Cricket World Cup]]
|-
| colspan="2" bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|Australia|name=AUS}} || || [[Rob Walter]]
|[[Temba Bavuma]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
! Champions
! Semi-finalists
! Quarter Finalists
! Group stage KnockOuts
|-
! colspan="9" | South Africa CWC record
|-
| 0 || 5 || 2 || 2
|}

† <small>For World Cups from 1975 to 1987 inclusive, South Africa was not an ICC member, and therefore ineligible to compete in the tournament.</small>

=== ICC T20 World Cup ===

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
! Super 8/10/12
! Semi-finals
! Final
! SA Coach 
! SA Captain
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2007 ICC World Twenty20|2007 World T20]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Mickey Arthur]] || [[Graeme Smith]] 
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2009 ICC World Twenty20|2009 World T20]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|Pakistan|name=Pakistan}} ||  || [[Mickey Arthur]] || [[Graeme Smith]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2010 ICC World Twenty20|2010 World T20]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Corrie van Zyl]] || [[Graeme Smith]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2012 ICC World Twenty20|2012 World T20]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Gary Kirsten]] || [[AB de Villiers]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2014 ICC World Twenty20|2014 World T20]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|India|name=India}} ||  || [[Russell Domingo]] || [[Faf du Plessis]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2016 ICC World Twenty20|2016 World T20]]
|-
| bgcolor="Pink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Russell Domingo]] || [[Faf du Plessis]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2021 ICC T20 World Cup|2021 T20 World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="Pink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Mark Boucher]] || [[Temba Bavuma]]
|-
! colspan="10" | [[2022 ICC Men's T20 World Cup|2022 T20 World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="Pink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Mark Boucher]] || [[Temba Bavuma]]
|-
! colspan="10" | [[2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup|2024 T20 World Cup]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|India|name=India}}|| [[Rob Walter]] || [[Aiden Markram]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
! Champions
! Runners-Up
! Semi-finalists
! Super KOs
|-
! colspan="8" | South Africa WT20 record
|-
|| 0 || 1 || 2 || 6 
|}

=== ICC Champions Trophy ===

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
! Group stages
! Semi-finals
! Final
! SA Coach 
! SA Captain
|-
! colspan="9" | [[1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy|1998 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  bgcolor="Gold" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || [[Bob Woolmer]] || [[Hansie Cronje]] 
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy|2000 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|India|name=IND}} ||  || [[Graham Ford]]  ||  [[Shaun Pollock]] 
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2002 ICC Champions Trophy|2002 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|India|name=IND}} ||  || [[Eric Simons]] || [[Shaun Pollock]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2004 ICC Champions Trophy|2004 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Eric Simons]] || [[Graeme Smith]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2006 ICC Champions Trophy|2006 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|West Indies|name=WIN}} ||  || [[Mickey Arthur]] || [[Graeme Smith]] 
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2009 ICC Champions Trophy|2009 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Mickey Arthur]] || [[Graeme Smith]] 
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2013 ICC Champions Trophy|2013 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|England|name=ENG}} ||  || [[Gary Kirsten]] || [[AB de Villiers]]
|-
! colspan="9" | [[2017 ICC Champions Trophy|2017 Champions Trophy]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightPink" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} ||  ||  || [[Russell Domingo]] || [[AB de Villiers]] 
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
! Champions
! Semi-finalists
! Group KOs
|-
! colspan="9" | South Africa Champions Trophy record
|-
|| 1 || 4 || 3 
|}

=== Commonwealth Games ===

{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"
|-
! Group stages
! Semi-finals
! Gold Medal
! SA Coach 
! SA Captain
|-
! colspan="9" | [[Cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1998]]
|-
| bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="LightGreen" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || bgcolor="Gold" | {{cr|South Africa|name=SA}} || [[Bob Woolmer]] || [[Shaun Pollock]]
|}

== Honours ==
===ICC===

*'''[[ICC World Test Championship|World Test Championship]]:'''
** {{World3}} Third Place (1): [[2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship|2021-2023]]
*'''[[T20 World Cup]]'''
** {{World2}} Runners-up (1): [[2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup|2024]]
*'''[[ICC Champions Trophy|Champions Trophy]]:'''
** {{World1}} '''Champions (1):''' [[1998 ICC KnockOut Trophy|1998]]

===Others===
*'''[[Cricket at the Commonwealth Games|Commonwealth Games]]:'''
** {{CG1}} '''Gold medal (1):''' [[Cricket at the 1998 Commonwealth Games|1998]]

==Team colours==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:1em; float:right"
|-
!Period
!Kit manufacturer
!Shirt sponsor
|-
|'''1992–1996'''
|[[ISC (sportswear)|ISC]]
| No sponsor
|-
|'''1997–2001'''
|[[Adidas]]
|[[Castle Lager|Castle]]
|-
|'''[[1999 Cricket World Cup|ICC Cricket World Cup 1999]]'''
|[[Asics]]
|[[Standard Bank]]
|-
|'''2001–2005'''
|[[Admiral Sportswear|Admiral]]
|[[Castle Lager|Castle]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''2005–2008'''
| rowspan="2" |[[Hummel International|Hummel]]
|[[Castle Lager|Castle]]
|-
|[[Standard Bank]]
|-
|'''2008–2011'''
|[[Reebok]]
|[[Castle Lager|Castle]]
|-
|rowspan=2|'''2011–2015'''
|rowspan=2|[[Adidas]] 
|[[Standard Bank]]
|-
|[[Castle Lager|Castle]]
|-
|rowspan=2|'''2016–2021'''
|rowspan=2|[[New Balance]] 
|[[Standard Bank]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/cricket/standard-bank-drops-bombshell-on-csa-by-pulling-the-plug-on-its-sponsorship/|title=Standard Bank drops bombshell on CSA by pulling the plug on its sponsorship|date=6 December 2019 |access-date=6 December 2019}}</ref>
|-
| No sponsor
|-
|'''2021–2023'''
|[[Castore (brand)|Castore]]
|No sponsor
|-
|'''[[2023 Cricket World Cup|ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023]]'''
|[[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]]
|[[Amul]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sacricketmag.com/proteas-world-cup-kit-revealed/|title=Proteas' World Cup kit revealed|date=22 September 2023 |access-date=22 September 2023}}</ref>
|-
|'''2023–present'''
|[[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]]
|Royal Green Sprits
|}

South Africa's kits are manufactured by [[Lotto Sport Italia|Lotto]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sabcsport.com/cricket/news/proteas-get-new-swag-as-csa-announce-a-partnership-with-lotto-sport|title=Proteas get new swag as CSA announce a partnership with Lotto Sport|date=4 September 2023 |access-date=4 September 2023}}</ref> who replaced the previous manufacturer [[Castore]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/sport/Cricket/Proteas/csa-announce-castore-as-new-kit-sponsor-for-proteas-20210930|title=CA announce Castore as new kit sponsor for Proteas|access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref> in 2023.
When playing Test cricket, South Africa's [[cricket whites]] feature the king protea badge (the emblem of the South African Sports Commission) with the South African flag above it on the left breast of the shirt. South African fielders may wear a green cap or a white sun hat with the king protea badge in the middle. Helmets are also coloured green. Before 1996, the cap insignia was the [[Cricket South Africa|United Cricket Board of South Africa]] old badge, which was a circle with a ball superimposed over a wicket in the centre and the inscription which reads "UNITED CRICKET BOARD OF SOUTH AFRICA" around the circle's border. Before 1991, the cap insignia was a springbok head under the inscription "S.A.C.B" in yellow letters (which changed to "S.A." with the years of the tour, for instance, "S.A. 1982–83").

In [[limited overs cricket]], South Africa's ODI and Twenty20 shirts feature the king protea badge with the national flag on the left breast of the shirt. 

In ODIs, the kit comprises a green shirt with yellow accents and dark green stylised protea leaves and green trousers, whilst the Twenty20 kit comprises a green shirt with a yellow gradient and the [[Oxigen Services|Oxigen]] logo in the front and green trousers. In both uniforms, the fielding hat is a green baseball cap with white piping and a yellow line on the visor border or a green sunhat, which are both green with the king protea badge.

In [[International Cricket Council|ICC]] limited-overs tournaments, a modified kit design is used with the sponsor's logos moving to the sleeve and 'South Africa' printed across the front.

Since 2016, South Africa played some matches with an all-pink version of its uniform, to raise breast cancer awareness.

Previous suppliers were ISC (1992–1996), Asics (1999), Admiral (2000–2003), Hummel (2004–2007), Adidas (2011–2015), New Balance<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.georgeherald.com/news/Sport/Cricket/138072/CSA-welcomes-New-Balance-as-its-official-Apparel-and-Footwear-Supplier|title=CSA welcomes New Balance as its official Apparel and Footwear Supplier|access-date=3 June 2015}}</ref> (2016–2021) and Castore<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/sport/Cricket/Proteas/csa-announce-castore-as-new-kit-sponsor-for-proteas-20210930|title=CA announce Castore as new kit sponsor for Proteas|access-date=30 September 2021}}</ref> (2021–2023).

Until 2016, the sponsor was [[Castle Lager]]. During the [[South African cricket team in Pakistan in 2003–04|2003–04 tour of Pakistan]], the Castle Lager logo was replaced by "Charles".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Katzenellenbogen |first1=Jonathan |title=South Africa: Charles' Stumps Ban On Proteas' Beer ADs |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200310200607.html |website=[[AllAfrica]] |access-date=4 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228205820/https://allafrica.com/stories/200310200607.html |archive-date=Feb 28, 2023 |language=en |date=20 October 2003 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Current squad==
For the 2024–25 period, CSA awarded 18 players national contracts, from which selectors choose the core of the Test, One-Day, and Twenty20 International teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricket.co.za/csa-announces-proteas-men-and-womens-contracted-squad-for-2024-25/|title=CSA Announces Proteas Men And Women’s Contracted Squad For 2024/25}}</ref> Non-contracted players remain eligible for selection and can be upgraded to a Cricket South Africa contract if they gain regular selection.

This is a list of every active player who is contracted to Cricket South Africa, has played for South Africa since October 2023 or was named in the recent Test, ODI or T20I squads. Uncapped players are listed in ''italics''.

''Last updated: 12 October 2024''

*Forms – This refers to the forms they've played for South Africa in the past year, not over their whole South Africa career
*C – Contracted to Cricket South Africa (Y = Holds contract)
*S/N – Shirt number

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Name
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Age
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Batting style
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Bowling style
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Domestic team
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | SA20 Team
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Forms<!--NOTE: This refers to the forms they've been selected for South Africa recently, not over their whole South Africa career-->
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | C
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | S/N
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Captain
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Last Test
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Last ODI
!  style="text-align:center; background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; | Last T20I
|-
! colspan="13" | Batters
|-
| [[Temba Bavuma]] || {{age|1990|5|17}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || {{n/a}} || Test, ODI || Y || 11 || Test, ODI (C) || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|AUS}} 2023
|-
| [[David Bedingham]] || {{age|1994|4|22}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Western Province cricket team (South Africa)|Western Province]] || [[Sunrisers Eastern Cape]] ||  Test || {{n/a}} || 5 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|- 
| [[Matthew Breetzke]] || {{age|1998|11|03}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Warriors cricket team|Warriors]] || [[Durban's Super Giants]] || ''Test''. T20I || {{n/a}} || 85 ||  || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|- 
| [[Tony de Zorzi]] || {{age|1997|8|28}} || Left-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Western Province cricket team (South Africa)|Western Province]] || {{n/a}} || Test, ODI || Y || 33 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Donovan Ferreira]] || {{age|1998|7|21}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Titans cricket team|Titans]] || [[Joburg Super Kings]] || T20I || {{n/a}} || 55 ||  || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|IND}} 2023
|-
| [[Zubayr Hamza]] || {{age|1995|6|6}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{cricon|NED}} 2021 || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Reeza Hendricks]] || {{age|1989|8|14}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[off spin|off break]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[MI Cape Town]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 17 ||  || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|AFG}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[Aiden Markram]] || {{age|1994|10|4}} || Right-handed || Right arm [[off spin|off break]] || [[Titans (cricket team)|Titans]] || [[Sunrisers Eastern Cape]] ||Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 4 || T20I (C); Test, ODI (VC) || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|AFG}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[David Miller (South African cricketer)|David Miller]] || {{age|1989|6|10}} || Left-handed|| {{n/a}} || [[Dolphins cricket team|Dolphins]] || [[Paarl Royals]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 10  || || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|IND}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
| [[Edward Moore (South African cricketer)|Edward Moore]] || {{age|1993|3|17}} || Left-handed || Right arm [[off spin|off break]] || [[Titans (cricket team)|Titans]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Keegan Petersen]] || {{age|1993|8|8}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Boland cricket team|Boland]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || 93 ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Jason Smith (cricketer)|Jason Smith]] || {{age|1994|10|11}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium-fast]] || [[Dolphins cricket team|Dolphins]] || [[Durban's Super Giants]] || ODI, T20I || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024
|-
| [[Tristan Stubbs]] || {{age|2000|8|14}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[off spin|off break]] || [[Warriors cricket team|Warriors]] || [[Sunrisers Eastern Cape]] || Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 30 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[Rassie van der Dussen]] || {{age|1989|2|7}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Leg spin|leg break]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[MI Cape Town]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 72 || || {{cricon|AUS}} 2022 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024
|-
| [[Raynard van Tonder]] || {{age|1998|9|26}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[North West (cricket team)|North West]] || {{n/a}} ||  Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
! colspan="13" | All-rounders
|-
| [[Neil Brand (cricketer)|Neil Brand]] || {{age|1996|4|12}} || Left-handed || [[Left-arm orthodox]] || [[Titans (cricket team)|Titans]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Dewald Brevis]] || {{age|2003|4|29}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Titans (cricket team)|Titans]] || [[MI Cape Town]] || ''Test'' || {{n/a}} || 52 || || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|AUS}} 2023
|-
| [[Ruan de Swardt]] || {{age|1998|1|21}} || Left-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium-fast]] || [[North West (cricket team)|North West]] || {{n/a}} ||  Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Marco Jansen]] || {{age|2000|5|1}} || Right-handed || Left-arm [[fast bowling|medium-fast]] || [[Warriors cricket team|Warriors]] || [[Sunrisers Eastern Cape]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 70 ||  || {{cricon|IND}} 2024 || {{cricon|AUS}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
| [[Patrick Kruger]] || {{age|1995|2|3}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium]] || [[Warriors cricket team|Warriors]] || [[Sunrisers Eastern Cape]] || T20I || {{n/a}} || 61 ||  || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[Wiaan Mulder]] || {{age|1998|2|19}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[Durban's Super Giants]] || Test, ODI, T20I || {{n/a}} || 13 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|- 
| [[Senuran Muthusamy]] || {{age|1994|02|22}} || Left-handed || [[Left-arm orthodox]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[Pretoria Capitals]] || ''Test'' || {{n/a}} || 67 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2023 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|- 
| [[Andile Phehlukwayo]] || {{age|1996|3|3}} || Left-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium-fast]] || [[Dolphins cricket team|Dolphins]] || [[Paarl Royals]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 23 ||  || {{cricon|IND}} 2018 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024
|-
| [[Shaun von Berg]] || {{age|1986|9|16}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[Leg spin|leg break]] || [[Boland (cricket team)|Boland]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|NZ}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
! colspan="13" | Wicket-keepers
|- 
| [[Quinton de Kock]] || {{age|1992|12|17}} || Left-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Titans cricket team|Titans]] || [[Durban's Super Giants]] || T20I || {{n/a}} || 12 ||  || {{cricon|IND}} 2021 || {{cricon|AUS}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
| [[Clyde Fortuin]] || {{age|1995|8|18}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Boland (cricket team)|Boland]] || {{n/a}}  || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Heinrich Klaasen]] || {{age|1991|7|30}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Titans cricket team|Titans]] || [[Durban's Super Giants]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 45 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
| [[Ryan Rickelton]] || {{age|1996|7|11}} || Left-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[MI Cape Town]] || Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 44 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[Kyle Verreynne]] || {{age|1997|5|12}} || Right-handed || {{n/a}} || [[Western Province cricket team (South Africa)|Western Province]] || [[Pretoria Capitals]] || Test, ODI || {{n/a}} || 97 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{n/a}}
|-
! colspan="13" | Spin bowlers
|-
| [[Bjorn Fortuin]] || {{age|1994|10|21}} || Right-handed || [[Left-arm orthodox]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[Paarl Royals]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 77 ||  || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[Keshav Maharaj]] || {{age|1990|2|7}} || Right-handed || [[Left-arm orthodox]] || [[Dolphins cricket team|Dolphins]] || [[Durban's Super Giants]] || Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 16 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IND}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
| [[Dane Piedt]] || {{age|1990|3|6}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[off spin|off break]] || [[Knights cricket team|Knights]] || [[MI Cape Town]] || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Tabraiz Shamsi]] || {{age|1990|2|18}} || Right-handed || [[Left-arm unorthodox]] || [[Titans cricket team|Titans]] || [[Joburg Super Kings]] || ODI, T20I || Y || 26 ||  || {{cricon|SRI}} 2018 || {{cricon|IND}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
! colspan="13" | Seam bowlers
|-
| [[Ottneil Baartman]] || {{age|1993|3|18}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium-fast]] || [[Dolphins cricket team|Dolphins]] || [[Sunrisers Eastern Cape]] || ODI, T20I || {{n/a}} || 41 ||  || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[Nandre Burger]] || {{age|1995|8|11}} || Left-handed || Left-arm [[fast bowling|fast-medium]] || [[Western Province cricket team (South Africa)|Western Province]] || [[Joburg Super Kings]] || Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 71 || || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|AFG}} 2024 || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024
|-
| [[Gerald Coetzee]] || {{age|2000|10|02}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast]] || [[Titans cricket team|Titans]] || [[Joburg Super Kings]] || Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 62 ||  || {{cricon|IND}} 2023 || {{cricon|AUS}} 2023 || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024
|-
| [[Beuran Hendricks]] || {{age|1990|06|08}} || Left-handed || Left-arm [[fast bowling|fast-medium]] || [[Western Province cricket team (South Africa)|Western Province]] || {{n/a}} || ODI || {{n/a}} || 14 ||  || {{cricon|ENG}} 2020 || {{cricon|IND}} 2023 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2021
|- 
| [[Kwena Maphaka]] || {{age|2006|4|8}} || Left-handed || Left-arm [[fast bowling|medium]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[Paarl Royals]] || T20I || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024
|-
| [[Tshepo Moreki]] || {{age|1993|10|7}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast-medium]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Lungi Ngidi]] || {{age|1996|3|29}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast-medium]] || [[Titans cricket team|Titans]] || [[Paarl Royals]] || Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 22 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|-
| [[Anrich Nortje]] || {{age|1993|11|16}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast]] || [[Warriors cricket team|Warriors]] || [[Pretoria Capitals]] || T20I || {{n/a}} || 20 || || {{cricon|WIN}} 2023 || {{cricon|AUS}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
| [[Duanne Olivier]] || {{age|1992|5|9}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast-medium]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || {{n/a}} ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{cricon|PAK}} 2019 || {{n/a}}
|-
| [[Dane Paterson]] || {{age|1989|4|4}} || Right-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast-medium]] || [[Western Province cricket team (South Africa)|Western Province]] || {{n/a}} || Test || {{n/a}} || 42 ||  || {{cricon|NZL}} 2024 || {{cricon|PAK}} 2019 || {{cricon|ZIM}} 2018
|- 
| [[Kagiso Rabada]] || {{age|1995|5|25}} || Left-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|fast]] || [[Highveld Lions cricket team|Lions]] || [[MI Cape Town]] || Test, ODI, T20I || Y || 25 ||  || {{cricon|WIN}} 2024 || {{cricon|AUS}} 2023 || {{cricon|IND}} 2024
|-
| [[Lizaad Williams]] || {{age|1993|10|01}} || Left-handed || Right-arm [[fast bowling|medium-fast]] || [[Titans cricket team|Titans]] || [[Joburg Super Kings]] || ODI, T20I || {{n/a}} || 6 ||  || {{cricon|BAN}} 2022|| {{cricon|IRE}} 2024 || {{cricon|IRE}} 2024
|}

==Coaching staff==
{| class="wikitable" style="width:55%;"
|-
! style="background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; text-align:center;"| Position
! style="background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; text-align:center;"| Name
|-
| Director of cricket
| [[Enoch Nkwe]]
|}
=== Test ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:55%;"
|-
! style="background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; text-align:center;"| Position
! style="background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; text-align:center;"| Name
|-
| Head coach
| [[Shukri Conrad]]
|-
| Batting coach
| [[Neil McKenzie]]
|-
| Bowling coach
| [[Piet Botha (cricketer)|Piet Botha]]
|-
| Fielding coach
| [[Kruger van Wyk]]
|}

=== Limited overs ===
{| class="wikitable" style="width:55%;"
|-
! style="background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; text-align:center;"| Position
! style="background:#007749; color:#FFB81C; text-align:center;"| Name
|-
| Head coach
| [[Rob Walter]]
|-
| Batting coach
| [[JP Duminy]]
|-
| Bowling coach
| [[Eric Simons]]
|-
| Fielding coach
| Wandile Gwavu
|}

===Coaching history===
*1991–1994: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Mike Procter]]
*1994–1999: {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Bob Woolmer]]
*1999–2002: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Graham Ford]]
*2002–2004: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Eric Simons]]
*2004–2005: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Ray Jennings]]
*2005–2010: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Mickey Arthur]]
*2010–2011: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Corrie van Zyl]]
*2011–2013: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Gary Kirsten]]
*2012–2013: {{flagicon|RSA}} Gary Kirsten (Test, ODI) and {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Russell Domingo]] (T20I)
*2013–2017: {{flagicon|RSA}} Russell Domingo
*2017–2019: {{flagicon|BAR}} [[Ottis Gibson]]
*2019–2022: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Mark Boucher]]
*2022–2023: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Malibongwe Maketa]] (interim)
*2023–present: {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Shukri Conrad]] (Test) and {{flagicon|RSA}} [[Rob Walter]] (ODI, T20I)

==Current and former players==
{{for|a list of Test players|List of South Africa Test cricketers}}
{{for|a list of ODI players|List of South Africa ODI cricketers}}
{{for|a list of Twenty20 International players|List of South Africa Twenty20 International cricketers}}

===National captains===
{{for|a list of national captains|List of South Africa national cricket captains}}

==See also==
{{portal bar|Cricket}}
*[[Cricket in South Africa]]
*[[South Africa women's national cricket team]]
*[[History of Test cricket from 1884 to 1889]]
*[[History of Test cricket from 1890 to 1900]]
*[[International cricket in South Africa from 1971 to 1981]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.cricket.co.za/ Cricket South Africa]
{{S-start}}
{{Succession box
 | title  = [[Test cricket|Test match playing teams]]
 | years  = 12 March 1889
 | before = [[Australia national cricket team|Australia]]<br>[[england national cricket team|England]]
 | after  = [[West Indies cricket team|West Indies]]
}}
{{S-end}}
{{International cricket tours of South Africa}}
{{Cricket in South Africa}}
{{South African cricket seasons}}
{{ICC Champions Trophy winners}}
{{National cricket teams}}
{{National Sports Teams of South Africa}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:South Africa National Cricket Team}}
[[Category:Cricket in South Africa]]
[[Category:National cricket teams]]
[[Category:South Africa in international cricket]]
[[Category:Cricket teams in South Africa]]
[[Category:National sports teams of South Africa|C]]
[[Category:History of cricket by national team]]